1. Search Systems From Information Architecture Rosenfeld and Morville From Information Architecture Rosenfeld and Morville

2. Chapter Overview Does Your Site Need Search? Basic Search System Anatomy Choosing What to Search Search Algorithms Presenting Results Designing the Search Interface Does Your Site Need Search? Basic Search System Anatomy Choosing What to Search Search Algorithms Presenting Results Designing the Search Interface

3. Does your site need search? Think twice before you make your site searchable WHY? Dont assume that a search engine will solve all of your problems, they could create more Does your site have enough content? There is no formula, but…. 7 x 7 = 49; x 7 = 343; x 7 = 2401 --- easily needs it ( 7 + / - 2 ) times 3 levels The more your site is referencial the more it needs search Will investing in search systems take away from navigation systems Search systems perform better when based upon strong navigation systems Think twice before you make your site searchable WHY? Dont assume that a search engine will solve all of your problems, they could create more Does your site have enough content? There is no formula, but…. 7 x 7 = 49; x 7 = 343; x 7 = 2401 --- easily needs it ( 7 + / - 2 ) times 3 levels The more your site is referencial the more it needs search Will investing in search systems take away from navigation systems Search systems perform better when based upon strong navigation systems

4. Does your site need search? Do you have the time and know-how to optimize your sites search systems? If you dont plan on putting significant time into your search engine (or your client doesnt) then reconsider using one Are there better alternatives? (note) Will your sites users bother to use a search capacity? Remember that there are all TYPES of users and you really need to know your audience first, most websites grow organically Do you have the time and know-how to optimize your sites search systems? If you dont plan on putting significant time into your search engine (or your client doesnt) then reconsider using one Are there better alternatives? (note) Will your sites users bother to use a search capacity? Remember that there are all TYPES of users and you really need to know your audience first, most websites grow organically

5. Does your site need search? Search helps when you have too much information to browse http://www.powells.com (note) http://www.powells.com Search helps fragmented sites Search should be there because users expect it Search can tame dynamism If your content is highly dynamic (such as an online newspaper) --- you cant manually catalog content so automating is a necessity Search helps when you have too much information to browse http://www.powells.com (note) http://www.powells.com Search helps fragmented sites Search should be there because users expect it Search can tame dynamism If your content is highly dynamic (such as an online newspaper) --- you cant manually catalog content so automating is a necessity

6. Basic Search System Anatomy There are two variants of search systems In Version 1--- Users express their information need as a query into a search interface; queries are then matched against an INDEX Version 2 There are two variants of search systems In Version 1--- Users express their information need as a query into a search interface; queries are then matched against an INDEX Version 2

7. Jared Spool vs. Peter Morville Jared Spool loves to slander search He says that all websites should focus on browsing, not search And he supports his stance by $3 million worth of user research data Jared Spool loves to slander search He says that all websites should focus on browsing, not search And he supports his stance by $3 million worth of user research data

8. Jared Spool vs. Peter Morville Peter Morvilles answer to him is, No, no, no! His quarrel is not with Jareds results BUT with his conclusions Its true that users FAIL in trying to find what they are looking for within a SEARCH, but drawing conclusions like this is like eating a frozen egg roll and declaring all Chinese food is bad Basically, Morville feels Search can be a good thing as long as it is administered with care But to encourage taxonomy (better browsing ability) in lieu of search system design is a bad message to be sending developers Peter Morvilles answer to him is, No, no, no! His quarrel is not with Jareds results BUT with his conclusions Its true that users FAIL in trying to find what they are looking for within a SEARCH, but drawing conclusions like this is like eating a frozen egg roll and declaring all Chinese food is bad Basically, Morville feels Search can be a good thing as long as it is administered with care But to encourage taxonomy (better browsing ability) in lieu of search system design is a bad message to be sending developers

9. Browse vs. Search Investing in taxonomy In the past, many organizations have heavily invested in taxonomy design (browsing) while giving no thought to search system development WHY? Because taxonomy design was the rage; and BECAUSE many developers cannot understand HOW search can be improved WHY? Because often search is owned by the IT function, not the design function Investing in taxonomy In the past, many organizations have heavily invested in taxonomy design (browsing) while giving no thought to search system development WHY? Because taxonomy design was the rage; and BECAUSE many developers cannot understand HOW search can be improved WHY? Because often search is owned by the IT function, not the design function Search is Essential According to Morville, search is a matter of size Small sites dont need it Big ones do To that end, taxonomy design can only do so much Any hierarchy is ultimately subjected to the depth/breadth tradeoff (7+/- 2) Search is Essential According to Morville, search is a matter of size Small sites dont need it Big ones do To that end, taxonomy design can only do so much Any hierarchy is ultimately subjected to the depth/breadth tradeoff (7+/- 2)

10. Search is a system Does your site have ROT? Redundant, Outdated or Trivial Content Search results will suffer if that is true because relevant content will suffer due to inappropriate algorithm results Does your site have ROT? Redundant, Outdated or Trivial Content Search results will suffer if that is true because relevant content will suffer due to inappropriate algorithm results

11. Search is Multifarious By matching search interface design with faceted classification, we can support parametric searchingparametric searching By studying search logs and identifying business priorities, we can feature best bets in our results display.best bets By developing controlled vocabularies, we can manage the synonym problem.controlled vocabularies By combining natural language parsing and human-created knowledge bases er can provide interactive agents. (staple remover; stapler remover)interactive agents By tracking link references or user behavior we can tap into the adaptive power of collaborative filtering.link references user behavior By leveraging category structures, we can provide results in context. These are just some of the possible ways to begin to implement better search techniques. (See online handout on my website Optimizing Search in Results) By matching search interface design with faceted classification, we can support parametric searchingparametric searching By studying search logs and identifying business priorities, we can feature best bets in our results display.best bets By developing controlled vocabularies, we can manage the synonym problem.controlled vocabularies By combining natural language parsing and human-created knowledge bases er can provide interactive agents. (staple remover; stapler remover)interactive agents By tracking link references or user behavior we can tap into the adaptive power of collaborative filtering.link references user behavior By leveraging category structures, we can provide results in context. These are just some of the possible ways to begin to implement better search techniques. (See online handout on my website Optimizing Search in Results)

12. Search Sucks But not in a bad way! Search actually sucks a tremendous amount of data into your organization about WHAT YOUR USERS ARE LOOKING FOR, so dont skimp on cataloguing that opportunity with a good intake software program and search log Not only is it important to know what your users want, but just as important is HOW THEY DESCRIBE IT Web developers have been using this data for years to help define taxonomies, controlled vocabularies and best bets. But not in a bad way! Search actually sucks a tremendous amount of data into your organization about WHAT YOUR USERS ARE LOOKING FOR, so dont skimp on cataloguing that opportunity with a good intake software program and search log Not only is it important to know what your users want, but just as important is HOW THEY DESCRIBE IT Web developers have been using this data for years to help define taxonomies, controlled vocabularies and best bets.